The World’s Second Most Consumed Beverage… TEA!

The first most consumed beverage is water, but really that doesn’t count. Therefore, next (and first to me) is tea! Almost every culture has some kind of tea tradition. Whether it is British tea and biscuits, Indian chai tea, or American iced (or sweet) tea. And it is most likely the world’s second oldest beverage as well (after water)! People have been drinking tea for over 3,000 years.

In addition to tea’s tastiness, it has many health benefits:

Antioxidants:

• First and foremost tea is filled with antioxidants, specifically catechins. Green and white teas have significantly more antioxidant concentrations then black teas. Black teas have less antioxidants levels due to oxidation during its preparation.  The endogenous antioxidants in black tea are oxidized to other molecules but still some remain.

Caffeine:

• Tea also contains caffeine. The levels of caffeine range from minimal amounts to amounts close to that of coffee. Black tea has between 30 and 60 mg of caffeine per cup, green tea has between 10 and 20 mg, and white teas have a negligible amount. Although caffeine is known to be a diuretic, many studies show that tea can replace water in hydrating the human body. As we all know, caffeine in moderation is good for our bodies. Thus, two to three cups of tea a day are great!

Fluorides:

• Every tea contains some amount of fluoride. In small amounts, fluoride promotes healthy teeth. However in larges amounts, fluoride can be harmful to our bones. But this can be avoided. More mature tea leaves tend to have greater concentrations of fluoride than young tea leaves. When tea leaves are harvested by hand, there is a lower chance of gathering mature leaves, but when they are harvested by machine, both young and mature leaves are gathered. So when buying tea, make sure you buy hand picked tea.

Overall, tea has amazing properties that have yet to be discovered. Similar to wine, tea has innumerable compounds and scientists are just now discovering many of teas many benefits. Studies have found that many teas prevent the growth of cancerous tumors. They also reduce the risk of heart disease and neurological diseases. Nonetheless, different teas have different health benefits. Green teas are great for preventing cancer. Black teas can protect the lungs from cigarette smoke. Oolong tea may help people lose weight. However, teas are best when they are brewed at home rather than purchased in cans or bottles because home-brewed teas do not have all the artificial sweeteners and extra calories.

Lastly, I recently replaced my coffee drinking habit with a tea drinking habit and I have found that tea helps me focus better and tastes much better. Now its time for you to make the switch to tea!

How Tea Works:

http://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/edible-innovations/tea.htm

Types of Teas and Their Health Benefits:

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/tea-types-and-their-health-benefits

Tea “Healthier” Drink Than Water:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/5281046.stm